Tánaiste: SF offering no alternatives to paying bondholders

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has today criticised Sinn Féin for walking out of the Dáil after the Government's refusal to debate the €700m payment to Anglo bondholders.

There were angry scenes in the Dáil, when Taoiseach Enda Kenny defended the payment, saying a failure to honour the debt would have hampered Ireland's efforts to get a €10bn interest rate reduction in the future.

Mr Kenny also blamed the ECB for failing to allow Ireland to burn the Anglo bondholders.

However, Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams said he would not stay in the Dáil while the Government refused to allow a proper debate on the matter.